Entertainment

YouTuber Etika missing after posting distressing video alluding to suicide [UPDATED]

David Purcell
Etika, Instagram

UPDATE 3:50PM PST, June 20

The New York Police Department has now issued an official alert for the YouTuber, as they’ve been unable to locate him since he was reported missing. If anyone has any information, please call the NYPD Tips Department on 800-577-TIPS.

A police investigation into the whereabouts of Daniel Desmond ‘Etika’ Amofah has allegedly been launched in downtown New York after the Twitch streamer uploaded a worrying video to YouTube, along with a message that has been described by some as a potential “suicide note”. 

The content creator uploaded a video to his channel at midnight on June 19, titled “I’m sorry.” In it, he talked about the idea of killing himself inside the first minute, and hasn’t been in contact with friends or family since. 

Etika went on to discuss the mistakes he believes he has made in the past, but some of the most worrying words from the upload came in the text he attached to it – the video description. 

Etika hasn’t been seen since uploading the video to YouTube.

“I mislead so many of you, I manipulated, I lied, I shifted blame… I don’t know what awaits me on the other side, but I’m ready to face it,” he wrote in the description. 

Etika added: “As far as we know, there is no life after death. My time ends now, but if there is a way for me too, I’ll send you all as many blessings as I can from the other side.”

The YouTuber admitted that he regrets the “edgy” persona he has built on social media over the years, after controversial statements landed him with bans on Twitch in 2018, and he was even arrested during an Instagram Live video after an anti-semitic Twitter rant earlier this year. 

Police have been searching for Etika ever since the video was uploaded, according to esports consultant Rod Breslau and YouTuber DoubleA_Charged on Twitter, with his phone reportedly going straight to voicemail for a number of hours. 

Fans of the content creator will be well aware that this isn’t the first time that he’s threatened suicide, after posting a number of worrying messages to his Twitter account on April 16. 

Etika previously mentioned that his “next mental breakdown” would be around June 20, as highlighted by KEEMSTAR on Twitter, which has led some people to question whether or not this is a distasteful planned stunt. 

Etika made headlines on a number of occasions in the past for erratic behavior. The YouTuber was detained by the NYPD in April during an Instagram Live stream previously raised concerns with suicidal messages on social media.

Nevertheless, it is believed that his mobile is now ringing, which suggests that it’s in somebody’s possession or at least switched on. Yet, as of the time of writing, the search for Etika reportedly is ongoing.  

Breslau has also reported that a NYPD spokesperson has confirmed that a detective squad are actively looking for Etika, but have no updates to provide at this time.

KEEMSTAR and his team allegedly used all their available resources to locate the YouTuber, and even contacted local hospitals and the police, but couldn’t locate him.

We’ll update this article with any further developments from the police search and hopefully his family will have him home, safe and sound, shortly. 

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, or know anyone that is, and you would like to talk to someone, please reach out and call the Suicide Prevention Helpline 1-800-273-8255 (USA) or the Samaritans 116-123 (UK).

(Last updated on June 20 at 2:45PM PST.)

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